February 2015 Skeptical Crossword

Theme: Logical Fallacies(4)

by Roy Arnott & Ken Greatorex

(click on the above grid to enlarge and print off)

Both Standard and cryptic clues are provided

STANDARD CLUES

ACROSS:

& 5 across & 7 across: a LOGICAL FALLACY in which the premises include the conclusion or assume that the conclusion is true; also called a Circular Argument. Example: I know that God exists because the Bible tells me so. (three words, [7], [3], [8])

See 2 across

See 2 across

Luminous discharge between two electrodes [3]

& 15 across: a LOGICAL FALLACY where a certain conclusion is reached on the basis of the alternative being undesirable. Example: In the famous Birmingham Six case the judge said that if the accused were innocent, the police must have fabricated evidence, which was unthinkable. (two words, [5], [12])

See 14 across

Ecclesiastical court [5]

Element number 50 [3]

& 20 across: a LOGICAL FALLACY where the person committing the fallacy dismisses a proposition that he or she cannot comprehend (two words, [8], [11])

See 18 across

Captain of The Nautilus [4]

Reasoning process conducted according to strict principles of validity [5]

Russian river and mountain range [4]

& 29 across & 31 across: a LOGICAL FALLACY: Confusion of ____ _____ _____ . Assuming that an intermediate position between two extremes is correct; Example: People who are severely ill are very often depressed and angry. Thus, the cause of severe illness actually is depression and anger. So, a cheerful attitude is key to staying healthy. (Three words, [5], [3], [6])

See 28 across

See 28 across

Without [4]

Stringed instrument [4]

Strange [3]

& 39 across: a LOGICAL FALLACY which assumes that there are only totally opposed sides to an argument. Example: Either I keep smoking, or I’ll get fat. I don’t want to get fat, so I better keep smoking (two words, [5], [9])

See 38 across

Use or take advantage of [5]

Repeated sound [4]

Meeting for passing information or instructions [8]

Major artery [5]

Achieved [3]

& 54 across: a LOGICAL FALLACY that says if an argument contains a logical fallacy, the entire proposition is wrong. Example: A says “Spot is an animal. All dogs are animals. Spot must be a dog.” B replies “That’s illogical! Therefore Spot can’t be a dog.” (two words, [7], [7])

See 53 across

Look comprehensively in order to detect some feature [4]

Without ceremony [8]

Spoke [7]

Sudden sharp pain or painful emotion [4]

Not correct or provable [7]

Appeal to _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _; a LOGICAL FALLACY which involves supporting your argument with the views of a prominent person when it is inappropriate to do so; Example:Nicole Kidman endorses Swisse Wellness so it must be good. [9]

Possess [3]

Mistake [5]

Intermediate between black and white [4]

Continent [4]

Placed “in hock” [6]

Firearm [3]

& 79 across & 80 across: a LOGICAL FALLACY in which one of the protagonists unilaterally attempts to alter the premises with which the debate commenced, in such a way as to make it increasingly difficult to comply; Example: A Creationist demands evidence for a transitional species to fill a gap in the fossil record. When such evidence is discovered, it merely gives rise to demands for evidence to fill the two newly perceived gaps. (Three Words, [6], [3], [9])

See 76 across

See 76 across

Shoot with accuracy at long range from concealment [5]

Distinct historical period [3]

& 84 across: A LOGICALFALLACY which depends on misrepresentation of an opponent’s argument. To be successful, this approach requires that the audience be ignorant or uninformed of the original argument. Example: “If global warming is going to increase the temperature by two degrees, that’s not such a big deal. Between consecutive days of 20 degrees and 22 degrees you hardly notice the difference.” (two words, [5], [3])

See 83 across

Wayfarer [7]

The quality of being worthy of praise or reward [5]

Obligatory payments; subscriptions [4]

Dome-shaped Buddhist shrine [5]

DOWN:

Appalling [7]

The available body of facts or information upon which a valid argument can be based [8]

Ice house [5]

A musical sound with reference to its pitch, quality and strength [4]

Gazing at intently [6]

Badly matched or unfair; e.g. _ _ _ _ _ _ debate [6]

Fused vertebra between pelvic bones [6]

Japanese immigrants to North America [5]

Distasteful [5]

Disgrace, defamatory gossip [7]

A man who is overly concerned with fashion [3]

Gelled [9]

& 50 down: A LOGICAL FALLACY whose proponent rationalises an argument to support a cherished belief. Example: “Water Divining normally works, but not in tests because dowsers are put off by the presence of Skeptics” (two words, [7], [8])

Hard of Hearing [4]

Attractive, beautiful [6]

Sherlock Holmes said that this remains when all impossibilities have been discounted [5]

Great depth of insight or knowledge; (Often confused with incomprehensibility) [10]

Fish limb [3]

Tub, barrel [3]

Judgement or decision reached by reasoning based on evidence [10]

See 33 down

& 63 down: A LOGICAL FALLACY that draws comparisons between two situations based on similarities which don’t really apply. Example: “If evolution is random, then it’s like having an explosion in a rubbish tip which causes a working space shuttle to self-assemble.” (two words, [5], [7])

& 56 down: A LOGICAL FALLACY (aka “appeal to ignorance”) that a proposition is true simply because it has not been proved false; or that it is false because it has not been proved true. Example: “Atheists have never been able to demonstrate that God does not exist, therefore He must.” (two words, [2], [11])

A long way off [4]

See 19 down

Precision [8]

Ruling family [7]

Diabolic [8]

See 47 down

A phrase or expression in which the same thing is said twice in different words. (often in place of fresh data or evidence); Example: “Censorship is desireable because it limits the ability for anyone to say just whatever he or she likes” [9]

Always [7]

See 46 down

Puzzled, confused, bewildered [7]

A proposition from which another is inferred or follows as a conclusion [7]

Improvise, contrive [3]

Liquid produced in infected tissue [3]

Formalised argument [6]

Country [5]

Large fruit which may be hollowed and used as a container [5]

Makes a selection [4]

Tidings [4]

Snare [4]

Flightless bird [3]

CRYPTIC CLUES

ACROSS:

& 5 across & 7 across: The answer is provided by this clue because that is the way it is compiled. (three words, [7], [3], [8])

See 2 across

See 2 across

Part of circumference lights up [3]

& 15 across: Death? (two words, [5], [12])

See 14 across

The extremes of synthetic blood are a set up for church body [5]

Can Element [3]

& 20 across: If you cannot comprehend this clue, you can obviously disregard it (two words, [8], [11])

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